Why has the Royal Ballet and Opera cancelled its Tel Aviv show?

Spectator

5 days ago

Popular opinion has always been able to make or break a production but until the 21st century that was generally a verdict delivered through the box office. Nowadays, people power can kill off a production before it has even made it to rehearsal, let alone sold a ticket.
This modern phenomenon appeared to have claimed another victim with the recent news that the Royal Ballet and Opera has cancelled performances of its new production of Tosca, planned for the Israel Opera in Tel Aviv, next year. Intriguingly, the people exercising power in this instance are not the public but staff within the Royal Opera and Ballet itself.
The genesis of the staff pressure seems to have arisen after Daniel Perry, a backstage extra incongruously dressed in what seemed like spotted pyjamas and a Viking helmet, unfurled a Palestinian flag during an onstage curtain call, following the last-night performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore, on 19 July. Video of this incident shows an Opera House official, subsequently identified as the opera director, Oliver Mears, trying unsuccessfully to grab the flag and pull it off stage.
The Opera House released a statement after the event saying that Perry's isolated protest was 'a spontaneous and unauthorised action' that was 'completely inappropriate for a curtain call,' and undermined its position of political impartiality. Opera lover Stephen Ratcliffe wrote on X, '…bet he won't be working there again,' and Perry – a freelancer – has indeed subsequently alleged they will not have further work at the Opera House (their pronouns identify as they/them). Whether viewed as selfless or selfish, such an act by a non-descript extra detracted attention from the people that really mattered in that moment: the performers in front of them.
It now appears that this solitary protest has escalated to include almost 200 of the Royal Ballet and Opera House staff, who have signed an open letter to the House's supremo, Sir Alex Beard, calling for the cancellation of Tosca in Tel Aviv. This staff cohort demanded that the Royal Ballet and Opera 'withholds our productions from institutions that legitimise and economically support a state engaged in the mass killing of civilians.'
Initially Beard is reported as having said 'I am appalled by the crisis in Gaza and recognise the deep emotional impact this has had across our community and wider society. On this issue, we acknowledge and respect the full range of views held by our staff, artists and audiences'.
The decision not to take Tosca to Tel Aviv is already having consequences. Mandy Kent – a supporter of the Royal Ballet for more than 20 years – told me, 'The Royal Opera is demonising Israel. I've just cancelled my Friends membership, and I've told them why.' Judging by the plethora of similar comments on social media, it seems she is not alone in this counter-protest.
There is nothing in Puccini's Tosca (or in this new production) that could be associated with Israel or the Gazan situation, although perhaps the idea of the Kingdom of Naples controlling the city of Rome might have some indirect parallels. So, it is not the production but where it is to be performed that is at issue.
The UK is still actively trading with Israel and although the amount of trade has substantially decreased since the atrocities of 7 October 2023 and the subsequent brutal reprisals by Israel, it still amounts to around £6 billion annually (with a balance of trade of nearly £1 billion in favour of the UK). Despite government advice against all but essential travel to Israel, according to the plethora of advertisements on the internet it still seems to be a popular destination for British holidaymakers. So, why cancel the export of an Italian opera, made it Britain?
If I take dance as an example, Israel has a rich culture, which is regularly enjoyed here in the UK. The Israeli choreographer and performer, Stav Struz Boutrous won this year's Bloom Prize at Sadler's Wells. Jerusalem-born choreographers, Sharon Eyal and Hofesh Shechter are both former members of Israel's pre-eminent contemporary dance company, Batsheva, and are now Associate Artists of Sadler's Wells. We should enjoy their work for what it is and certainly not seek to associate it negatively with the country of their birth.
Asked for a statement to explain the decision to cancel the production of Tosca in Tel Aviv, the House distanced itself from the idea that it had yielded to pro-Palestine pressure from within, saying 'In light of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the region and the associated risks to the safety of our company members, we have made the decision not to proceed with the Royal Opera's new production of Tosca at the Israeli Opera. This decision was reached prior to the recent staff open letter.'
Other companies are facing similar dilemmas. The National Theatre of Brno in the Czech Republic was also scheduling performances in Israel but its International Manager, Radim Dolansky told me, 'The safety of our team is our top priority. A final decision regarding the planned guest performance in Israel will be made in early September, based on the current security situation and in agreement with the participants.'
So, the official line is that the cancelled performances in Tel Aviv were for the safety of the company and not caving in to pressure from staff. On the surface, this seems a reasonable precaution. I doubt that the Royal Opera and Ballet would sanction performances in Kyiv in current circumstances for similar reasons, and this is in a country with which we have every sympathy for its present plight.